Here’s attempt No. 3 – my third shot of the summer – at projecting the 53-man roster the Patriots will carry into the regular season.

The third game of the preseason, Friday night’s tuneup with the Carolina Panthers at Gillette Stadium, is clearly in sight; the NFL’s cutdown dates (to 75 players on Aug. 26; to 53 on Aug. 30) are also in view.

Note that the number here is actually 55 since wide receiver Brian Tyms and cornerback Brandon Browner must serve four-game league-imposed suspensions at the season’s outset and thus won’t count against the team’s roster at that time:

Quarterbacks (3) – Tom Brady, Jimmy Garoppolo, Ryan Mallett

A popular theory has the team going with just two quarterbacks, but it’s been my belief all along that head coach Bill Belichick won’t risk doing so with a backup who hadn’t even attended an NFL game until he played in the Patriots’ preseason opener with Washington earlier this month.

This belief does carry an asterisk, however.

If someone makes them an offer they can’t refuse (which, unless the NFL Network’s Mike Mayock is suddenly named a general manager somewhere, probably isn’t happening), I could see where the Patriots would be willing to deal Mallett, who is due to become a free agent in 2015.

Granted, the number looks inflated, but keep in mind that Tyms can’t suit up for a game until October and Slater, a Pro Bowl special teamer, is a wide receiver in name only.

This group doesn’t include Josh Boyce; he may have been a fourth-round draft pick just last year and he can contribute to the return game, but there comes a point where (lack of) production outweighs potential.

Tight ends (2) – Rob Gronkowski, Michael Hoomanawanui

Simply put, beyond Gronkowski and Hoomanawanui, this team doesn’t have anything even remotely resembling depth at this position.

As a member of the team’s practice squad, Devey didn’t get on the field last season; thus far this preseason, he hasn’t come off it (he’s played every offensive snap, lining up at left and right guard, left and right tackle).

Page 2 of 2 - Originally I thought all three offensive linemen from the Patriots’ Draft Class of 2014 – Stork and Fleming (both fourth-round choices) and Jon Halapio (a sixth-round pick) – were virtual certainties, but Halapio now seems more in line for a spot on the practice squad.

Injuries (Chris Jones and Siliga, the latter appearing to be the more serious of the two, plus Easley with the late start to practice coming off last season’s knee surgery) cloud the picture at tackle and prompt the team to go heavy at the position (to the benefit of Vellano).

If things unfold this way, the biggest name released is former New Orleans Saints end Will Smith, who hasn’t shown much coming off a major knee injury at the age of 33.

Tough call between veterans Chung and Tavon Wilson and Jemea Thomas, the sixth-round draft choice, none of whom have done much to catch the eye.

And if the league continues to make defensive contact a point of emphasis, Browner’s game will require a major adjustment once he serves his four-game sentence.

Specialists (3) – Danny Aiken, Ryan Allen, Stephen Gostkowski

With long snapper Tyler Ott’s release a few days ago, the only question here is where the ball’s going to wind up when any combination of these guys are on the field because the punting and kicking games have been a made-for “Football Follies” production this summer.